Lawyers representing Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl have requested the Justice Ministry to further delay a meeting by a disciplinary committee that will decide his fate. 

Yoon’s lawyers submitted their request on Thursday, a day before the committee is scheduled to convene.

The lawyers requested that the ministry postpone the meeting and allow a grace period of more than five days as the previous meeting was delayed only from Wednesday to Friday.

They cited that under the Criminal Procedure Code, if the first deliberation of a case is delayed, it must have a grace period of more than five days between meetings. The lawyers said such a rule applies in this case. 

However, a Justice Ministry official said the grace period rule does not apply, adding that the meeting has already been delayed two days at Yoon’s request. The official stressed that the ministry cannot accept an appeal for further delay. 

The ministry is highly likely to hold the disciplinary committee meeting on Friday as scheduled as new Vice Justice Minister Lee Yong-gu said earlier in the day that it is his duty to attend.